


Contrary to Popular Belief, Smiling is Not Always Something Certain Individuals Should Consider Doing

by Atqueinstupracaballum



Category: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson
Genre: A friend and I conversed about Utterson smiling, No Proofreading We Die Like Men, This thing resulted
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-06
Updated: 2018-12-06
Packaged: 2019-09-13 04:02:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16885269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Atqueinstupracaballum/pseuds/Atqueinstupracaballum
Summary: In which a certain scanty lawyer is demanded by his greatest friend to smile...





	Contrary to Popular Belief, Smiling is Not Always Something Certain Individuals Should Consider Doing

It was a splendid day. One which Mr. Utterson felt he had been enjoying supremely, basking in the rare tranquility of his own mind. Seeing that it was no weekday, and in want of good company, the older lawyer had enlisted Mr. Guest as his companion. His dearest friend did not disappoint, showing himself to Utterson’s house in good time. 

Now they sat in the lawyers modest backyard, for they both had agreed the weather was too perfect to stay indoors. A small table, only large enough to hold their kettle of tea and delicate cups, along with one sugar bowl, had been brought out.

Above them fluffy, gay clouds stretched across the sky, giving the creatures below a delicate shadow from the sun. Every now and then soft whispers of a breeze would displace hair ever so slightly, perhaps shift an unfolded handkerchief unwarranted. If the two friends ever found themselves chilled by such dainty wind, their tea comforted them. Little birds chirped and flew about every now and then, more so than usual, noted Utterson as he eyed one daring enough to waddle quite close by them. It was a pretty thing, no more than a chick, with glittering black eyes and a round fluffed up body. 

“I reckon it thinks we have bread,” commented Guest, head turned completely onto the little creature. He seemed amused by it, and it too seemed faintly to enjoy the clerk's attention. Utterson hummed in agreement, eyeing the bird himself. His heart melted just slightly as his dear friend showed the birds his hands theatrically, showcasing their lack of food. It only squeaked, seeming in disbelief. Perhaps they were being firmly ordered to deliver food to it, one could not be so sure with birds. To this both men found themselves chuckling, Guest’s attention was brought to Utterson once more. 

“Come on, sir, you’ve got to smile for the bird,” commented Mr. Guest, letting another chuckle escape him into the afternoon air. His companion let forth the quiet sigh of an aggravated man, clearly having been through this conversation many times before. Diverting his attention entirely from the bird for a moment, Guest sat back in his chair. He turned his head and torso back to his friend, who was shaking his head in disappointment. 

 

“I’ve never seen you smile, you look positively disgusted by everything.” He commented. Utterson nearly huffed, yet withheld the urge, keeping his stoic composure. 

 

“I possess human buoyancy, human emotion, you know that.” Returned the older man, voice mechanical as he went about stirring sugar into his tea. 

“You show it through your eyes, if at all, or so I’ve noticed. However, I’ve never seen your lips move.” Continued Guest, eyeing him with an amusement that Utterson returned with an annoyed glance. 

“I do happen to believe you are seeing my lips move right now, Mr. Guest.” He placed the sugar bowl back on to the middle of the table, done with it for now. 

 

“Yes yes, you know what I mean sir.” He was grinning now a bit, obviously taking pleasure in his jesting. Beyond that, a curiosity seemed to have been peaked within him, an unlucky thing for his stubborn companion. 

“I do,” responded Utterson, unable to lie. 

“I more than anyone should at least once have the honor of seeing your smile, don’t you agree sir?” A small, nearly unnoticeable blush came to the lawyer's cheeks then. He ran over the situation in his head, tossing it metaphorically from hand to hand. A coin was flipped and he decided towards putting this to rest for good. Perhaps after Guest had been accommodated for they could move forward and have their tea as formerly planned. 

Thus, with Guest excitedly scrutinizing his thin lips, he dredged up the best smile he could manage. It felt wholly unnatural, for his muscles were now working into a foreign shape. He attempted to copy the smile he had last seen on his head clerks face and thought himself well accomplished for a fraction of a second. Supreme discomfort turned to equally supreme confusion as his friend began laughing. 

These laughs were not the airy, rather brief things from before. Guest’s true laugh was a monster of its own, loud and snorting in such an improper way that embarrassed Utterson whenever he did it. Even now, as they were as alone as one may be in his backyard, the flushing lawyer looked down in shame, for certainly, the neighbors could hear such a howling. In front of him, Guest was quaking, arm clutching tightly over his stomach as he slouched into the table. His face was completely red from lack of oxygen, for it was one of those laughs that made your stomach burn and lungs deflate, not that Utterson had ever laughed in such a manner. 

“Sir-” He gasped, forehead now laying over the edge of the poor table. He tried to speak a few more times, yet failed as another laugh shook him and the table. Utterson could only stare at him in disgruntlement, confused by the dramatic display. 

“I’m sorry-” He sucked in a deep, steadying breath, straightening his spine just enough to lift his head and look Utterson in the eye. Down his flushed cheeks fell tears, eyes tinged with red, glittering with laughter triggered moistness. 

“But never do that again.” He wheezed, rubbing the corners of his scrunching eyes with thumb and forefinger as another more silent laugh ran through him. 

“By God man! Get yourself together, I've sated your curiosities have I not.” Objected the offended lawyer, who was now glaring towards his recovering companion. Guest dragged himself into a slightly straighter sitting position, still taking in impressive gulps of air. 

“I didn’t-” He was cut off by another snicker before forcing himself to sober up once more. 

“I did not expect it to be so terrifying- so- so awkwardly terrifying.” He admitted, shortly afterward covering his mouth with his hand. Utterson simply grimaced at him, not appreciative of his descriptions. 

“A serial killer attempting to smile at a baby, that's what you looked like. Why sir, that wasn’t a proper human expression.” The grimace on the older man only strengthened, his bitterness almost as strong as Dr. Henry Jekyll’s own for a moment. Guest saw that and sobered up almost completely, taking his hand away from his mouth, he continued:

“Oh, don’t bother over me so much, you know I’m only jesting with you.” He leaned over and gave a rather strong pat to Utterson's bicep before leaning back. To which Utterson sighed, momentarily rolling his eyes as he took up his teacup. 

“A pity, we scared that bird away” commented Guest, letting his eyes wander. 

“Tut tut, I wonder which one of us could have startled it so.” Dry sarcasm touched his voice, followed by him tipping his teacup back to sip. Guest shrugged, lips twitching. 

“Really I’m not so sure, sir. Between your unearthly smiling and my own reaction, I think it was a joint effort on our parts.” Once the lawyer had put his cup carefully down he bothered responding.

“It was quite a melodramatic response.” Guest flushed up a bit, in embarrassment this time rather than amusement. 

“But sir, that smile of yours will haunt my nightmares, I’m quite sure.” Mr. Utterson knew he was now being made a jest of, as he always was when he'd attempted to smile. He must never have done it correctly, though he felt strongly that he had. It was a simple pulling of muscles, how could one not accomplish it. Of course it didn't feel right, for he was rarely inclined to pull his lips up like that, even if he thought he was smiling in a small manner he apparently was not. However, when people told him to truly smile, and he obliged, he felt himself doing the action perfectly...No one had ever agreed with him on that, not even Guest. Some had described the smile in worse, more detailed ways...some even a bit crude in the wording.

And thus, this was the last time Utterson ever smiled, for he felt it was a quite useless action he had no need for, one which only seemed to disturb. He even made a pact with himself then, that he'd not do it again. Guest agreed on this, for he felt that there was, indeed, no need for that. London, even the world, could run fine without whatever that was.


End file.
